Marijuana Addiction and Cognitive Function – Can Cannabinoids Help?

Cannabinoids are found in the marijuana plant (cannabis sativa) and are said to be effective in pain management from pain symptoms such as multiple sclerosis, diabetic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy and nausea and vomiting. A cannabinoid is one of a great collection of complex chemical compounds that naturally occur in the body and operates on major cannabinoid receptors in cells that mediates neurotransmitter release in the brain. Cannabinoids for these receptors include the endocannabinoid system, that are produced in the body by animals, the phytocannabinoids in cannabis and some other plants, and synthetic cannabinoids. The main cannabinoid is the phytocannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive chemical in cannabis. Cannabidiol (CBD) is another main constituent of the plant and produces a non psychotic effect. This paper will evaluate cannabinoids in their ability to regulate cognitive function and how marijuana addiction could be potentially bad for this process.

Cannabis is the most applied illegal agent on this earth and demand for efficient treatment is on the rise. However, abstinence rates that stand after behavioral treatments have been shy, and there are no efficient pharmacotherapies for the treatment of marijuana addiction. This study proposes a novel experiment agenda and a possible treatment plan, based on evaluations that both acute and chronic exposure to marijuana are related to dose-associated cognitive disorders, most consistently in attention, functioning memory, word learning, and memory abilities. These disorders are not wholly reversible upon cessation of cannabis application and moreover may fight the healing of cannabis addiction. Therefore, targeting cognitive disorders related to chronic cannabis application may be a promising novel plan for the healing of cannabis addiction.

Preclinical research suggests that prescriptions bettering the cholinergic signalling may help marijuana-induced cognitive disorders, but these cognitive increasing prescriptions have not been looked at in mediated human studies. Preliminary evidence from those addicted to other substances indicates that computerized cognitive rehabilitation may also have applicable use to better cognitive working in cannabis users. Further clinical studies optimally structured to calculate cognitive ability as well as agent use behavior would be required to evaluate the effectiveness of these therapeutics for cannabis addiction.

Cannabinoids have a therapeutic value in addicts

Overall, the review of pharmacological or behavioral interference pointing at cognitive working in cannabis smokers indicates numerous possible sites for further studies. Specifically, the cognitive workings that are most predictive of treatment conclusions among cannabis smokers are not yet well researched in clinical trials. Picking validated cognitive experiments with good psychometric functions and that are receptive to pharmacological or behavioral interference will be a massive step, as will looking into the extent to which improvements in cognitive working can be reviewed through functional imaging methods. Finally, optimal timing of commencing therapy is an important problem, specifically regarding whether therapeutics will be more efficient if introduced after an initial period of refrain or whether they can be used to host abstinence if commenced while the specific person is still smoking cannabis. Clinical studies optimally constructed to calculate cognitive working as well as substance use behavior, would be required to address these questions.

Registered with the British Psychological Society, breaking the taboo on mental health issues is one of the driving forces in Jonathan's life. His background in biomedicine gives him additional understanding of the factors that work together to influence the human condition.